In a the first of a special two-part Sports Gazette feature, Philip Tallentire reviews the first five months of what turned out to be a phenomenal campaign.

AUGUST

THE season started with a whimper, not a bang, both on and off the pitch.

Efforts to sign David Dunn, Brett Emerton, Trevor Sinclair and Geremi all failed to bear fruit and Steve McClaren went into the opening game at Fulham with just two signings - experienced left-back Alan Wright and reserve keeper Carlo Nash.

The only other pre-season deals of note was the re-signing of Doriva and Colin Cooper to new contracts.

To compound matters, Ugo Ehiogu was ruled out until Christmas with a cruciate knee tear and David Murphy broke a foot just before the big kick-off.

With Franck Queudrue suspended for the first five matches, it was a makeshift Boro that ran out at a sweltering Loftus Road on August 16.

Fulham hotly-tipped for the drop, ran out deserved 3-2 winners, though Szilard Nemeth missed a penalty.

There was much excitement inside the Riverside for the first home game of the season after it emerged that Danny Mills and Gaizka Mendieta would be joining the club, although neither was eligible for the visit of Arsenal.

The Gunners showed their championship credentials by romping to a 4-0 win in front of the Sky cameras.

Mills was still ineligible for the trip to newly-promoted Leicester two days later, but Mendieta was impressive on his debut in a goalless draw.

The month started as it finished - with a 3-2 defeat - though Leeds only won thanks to an unfortunate slip by Andrew Davies, which allowed Mark Viduka to nip in and score an undeserved winner.

Once again, the match was notable for the announcement of a new signing, this time Bolo Zenden's audacious capture from big-spending Chelsea.

Stuart Parnaby suffered a serious knee injury in the defeat and would play first team football again until December 28.

SEPTEMBER

DESPITE the new signings, there was no immediate on-field improvement.

Bolton were comfortable 2-0 winners over a side which included Mendieta, Zenden and Mills. Boro had just one point to show from five matches and were left second bottom after the defeat.

McClaren rang the changes for the next match against Everton, dropping Juninho, who had stormed down the tunnel after he was subbed at the Reebok.

It was the game that saw Boro record the first of three much-needed wins inside a week, beating the Blues 1-0.

The match was also memorable for a bout of verbal jousting between a fired-up McClaren and David Moyes and for Colin Cooper's return at centre-back due to Chris Riggott's niggling injury.

Coops would go on to be Boro's best player up to Christmas.

The week of joy continued with an extra-time Carling Cup win over Brighton at a sparse Riverside and was rounded off with an excellent 1-0 win at in-form Southampton, a match which saw Queudrue earn an FA charge of violent conduct following a clash with Kevin Phillips. French Franck was ultimately cleared.

OCTOBER

THE injury curse struck again just hours before the home game against Chelsea, with Joseph Job suffering serious knee damage in training.

Boro were beaten 2-1 by Chelsea and 1-0 by Newcastle, but grabbed a gritty draw at Spurs in front of the Sky cameras.

The month ended with a morale-boosting 2-1 Carling Cup win on a miserable night in Wigan, who were then flying high in Division One.

NOVEMBER

STRUGGLING Wolves visited the Riverside on the first day of the month in a match that exploded into life after an hour, when a quickly taken Boro free-kick was exploited by Mendieta to open his account with a spectacular long-range effort.

The visitors were furious with the referee and with Mills, who celebrated his joy rather theatrically.

Juninho went on to wrap up the points and there was further trouble in the tunnel involving Paul Butler, who was later fined by the FA.

Malcolm Christie's season ended on November 4, when he broke his leg in training.

Boro went to Aston Villa and recorded a fine win, with Carlo Nash making his debut in goal and Juninho returning to the starting line-up.

Liverpool grabbed a point in a dour goalless draw at the Riverside and month ended with a rather fortunate 1-0 win at Manchester City thanks to a Sun Jihai own goal.

It was injury time before Boro managed a shot on goal and Mills admitted afterwards that "forensics are out there trying to discover how we managed to win".

DECEMBER

DECEMBER turned out to be a hectic and significant month in Boro's season.

Six games were negotiated with just one defeat suffered and, by the time Christmas came around, the club had a Carling Cup semi-final against Arsenal to look forward to.

Everton were beaten after a dramatic fourth round penalty shoot-out at the Riverside.

The game had ended 0-0 after extra time.

The next two home matches also ended goalless, with Portsmouth and Charlton returning south with valuable points.

Boro then pulled off another memorable shoot-out victory at Spurs to win through to the Carling Cup semis after the tie had finished level at 1-1.

Blackburn Rovers ruined McClaren's Boxing Day by scoring an equaliser deep in stoppage time to draw 2-2 and the year ended on a down note when Manchester United won 1-0 at the Riverside on December 28.

Fit-again Ugo Ehiogu made his first appearance of the season at the expense of the unfortunate Cooper.

* DON'T miss Part Two of our review of Boro's historic 2003/04 season, including that unforgettable day in Cardiff, in next Saturday's Sports Gazette Pink.